Teams have been putting extra players in the box and daring the Chargers to beat them in the air and they are having a hard time doing it.  Even after the Chargers have added Chris Chambers the pass offense hasn’t been that great.  The Chargers need Philip Rivers to step up.  Rivers has completed 202 for 330 passes (61.2%) for 2,301 yards with 14 TD passes and 12 interceptions (81.1 QB Rating) so far this season and the team needs more from him if they are going to win the AFC West. 

The Chargers pushed the Ravens around all day long last Sunday.  Philip Rivers had an outstanding game as he completed 25 of 35 passes for 249 yards with 3 TD passes.  LaDainian Tomlinson was busy with 24 carries for 77 yards (3.2 ypc) and he also caught 6 passes for 45 yards (7.5 avg).  Antonio Gates led the way in the passing game for the Chargers with 6 catches for 105 yards (17.5 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Vincent Jackson (5 rec, 65 yards) and Chris Chambers (5 rec, 22 yards, TD) both pitched in on the passing game.   The Chargers finished up with 83 yards rushing on 30 carries (2.8 ypc) and they also completed 25 of 35 passes for 249 yards.

The Chargers defense was outstanding in this game and it was led by Shawne Merriman (7 tackles, sack) and Shaun Phillips (6 tackles, 1/2 sack).  The Ravens finished up with 56 yards rushing on 20 carries and they also completed 21 of 33 passes for 154 yards.

The Chargers just didn’t make enough big plays to beat the Jaguars on Sunday.  Philip Rivers led the way for the Chargers as he completed 22 of 40 passes for 309 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 interceptions.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 16 yards (8.0 ypc).  LaDainian Tomlinson had a solid game with 16 carries for 62 yards (3.9 ypc) with 1 TD run and he also caught 5 passes for 93 yards (18.6 avg).  Chris Chambers (4 rec, 93 yards) and Antonio Gates (4 rec, 54 yards, TD) both also had solid games.  The Chargers finished up with 79 yards rushing on 20 carries (4.0 ypc) and they also completed 22 of 40 passes for 309 yards.

The Chargers defense didn’t really play that well last night.  LB Shaun Phillips (10 tackles) and safety Marlon McCree (8 tackles) both led the way for the D.  The Jaguars finished up with 122 yards rushing on 37 carries (3.3 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 24 passes for 189 yards.

These two teams run a very similar offense and defense so this should be a close ball game.  The Chargers will attempt to run the ball with LaDainian Tomlinson (733 yards rushing, 8 TDs) to control the clock but the Jags allow 102.7 yards rushing and 4.1 ypc so he might have a hard time rolling up a lot of yards.  Plus, the Jags defense is very physical and they will likely bring the fight to him.  If the Chargers get a running game going that will help Philip Rivers have the time needed to throw the ball to Antonio Gates and Chris Chambers.

The Jaguars are a running team and they will try to push the Chargers defense around.  The Chargers are allowing 119.4 yards rushing per game and 4.5 ypc so Maurice Drew (536 yards rushing, 5.3 ypc) and Fred Taylor (519 yards rushing, 4.2 ypc) should get their yards.  David Garrard is back at QB for the Jags this weekend and that’s a good thing as Quinn Gray kept throwing the ball to the other team.  Garrard has not thrown an interception in 148 passes this season and he has a QB Rating of 102.9 this season.

PREDICTION:  The Jaguars have the QB least likely to make a mistake so I will go with them.  JAGUARS 23, CHARGERS 20.

Defense and special teams won this football game for the Colts on Sunday Night.  Darren Sproles returned a kickoff 89 yards for a TD and a punt 45 yards for a TD……in the first quarter!  Antonio Cromartie led the way for the defense with 6 tackles and a amazing 3 interceptions!  Safety Clinton Hart (12 tackles, interception) and linebacker Matt Wilhelm (11 tackles, interception) both also had outstanding games for the Chargers defense.  The Colts finished up with 75 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.9 ypc) and they also completed 34 of 56 passes for 311 yards.

The Chargers offense was pretty awful as they only held onto the ball for 23:48 of this football game.  Philip Rivers had a night to forget as he completed 13 of 24 passes for 104 yards with 2 interceptions and he also lost a fumble that was recovered in the end zone by the Colts for a TD.  LaDainian Tomlinson got his work in as he carried the ball 21 times for 76 yards (3.6 ypc) with 1 TD run and he also caught 4 passes for 21 yards (5.3 avg).  TE Antonio Gates had a sub-par game also with only 3 catches for 26 yards (8.7 avg).  The Chargers finished up with 91 yards rushing on 24 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 13 of 24 passes for 86 yards.